Does Mayor Bloomberg Want Us to Be Healthy or Skinny?

The judge has spoken, the ruling has been been made and our right to drink super sized, sugar loaded beverages remains intact. "The rule prohibits selling non-diet soda and some other sugary beverages in containers bigger than 16 ounces." I have no problem with the government wanting to help us get healthier, but I do have an issue with it just wanting to make us skinnier.

Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 13: A customer eats with a 21 ounce cups of soda at a Manhattan McDonalds on September 13, 2012 in New York City. In an effort to combat obesity, the New York City Board of Health voted to ban the sale of large sugary drinks. The controversial measure bars the sale of sugar drinks larger than 16 ounces at restaurants and concessions. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

I'll be honest with you and say that I'm feeling somewhat conflicted by the decision. I know that the main argument against the ban came from people who just don't want the government telling them what to do. Nobody likes to be told what they can and cannot eat or drink and people tend to get a little annoyed when they feel like they're being treated like children, or fools, or foolish children. That said, who the hell needs to be drinking soda from a cup big enough to swim in, anyway? If you're still thirsty after drinking enough liquid to bathe in, you've got some bigger issues that need to be addressed. I have no problem with Mayor Bloomberg wanting to limit the size of sugary drinks being sold, However, I do have a problem with the fact that, once again, he is completely missing the mark when it comes to taking action in the name of health.

An article by The Canadian Press states, "The rule prohibits selling non-diet soda and some other sugary beverages in containers bigger than 16 ounces."

Why is drinking copious amounts of sugar-laden drinks unhealthy but consuming the same amount of chemical filled crap just fine? WHY are we protecting people from the evils of sugar while promoting, accepting and even encouraging the consumption of diet drinks which are filled with chemicals that come with risks related to health issues like depression, severe migraines, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer?

Oh wait a minute, I know why, because they have less calories! Calories are bad because they make us fat and fat is bad because it can lead to health issues. Can you see my concern here? Why is that certain health risks are acceptable as long as they don't affect our size? Why are we, once again, putting our weight ahead of our health?

Here's the really crazy part, some research has suggested that artificial sweeteners can lead to, say it ain't so, obesity!

I have no problem with the government wanting to help us get healthier, but I do have an issue with it just wanting to make us skinnier.

I work with kids as young as seven and eight years old who have already started counting calories in fear of getting fat and that's just not OK! If we want to raise healthy children we need to teach them that eating well makes them feel good, instead of promoting the dangerous message that eating less makes them look skinny and skinny is what they need to be.

Time to stop trying to lose weight and start focusing on gaining health.